Car-coupling.



- W. L. WRIGHT.

GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APB.1 5, 1909.

933,941, Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

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" l M" l r i ideal i i in ll WILLIAM L- WRIGHT, 0T5 NEWPORT NEVIS, VIRGINIA.

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933,941,, Sp'ecificationof lletters Patent. P le-[ t d 'se t. Mr. lens I Application filed April 15, 1909. Serial No. 490,046.

To all whom "it may concern:

do it known that I, lVILLIAM L. lVRIci-rr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newport News, in the county of Warwick and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Cart ouplers, of which the following is a specitic-ation.

This invention relates to automatic can couplers. and has particular reference to the [tummy type of car couplers provided with improved means for unlocking the coupler and opening; the knuckle.

F or a full understanding of the invention, including its construction and characteristic advantages, reference is to be had to the following detail description and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of the improvement, the knuckle being shown in full lines in locked position, and in dotted lines in open position; Fig. 2 is a' vertical longitudinal section of the same,

and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of one of the parts hereinafter described.

' Throughout the following detail description, and on the several figures of the drawlugs similar parts are referred to" by like reference characters.

The drawba-r 10 and the draw head 11 are very similar to those now in use, and the knuckle 12 is pivoted at 13 at one side of the draw head in the usual manner. The tailpiece it of the knuckle when in locking position extends into a seat or cavity in the draw head and is held. therein by a vertically movable pin 15 which drops down in front or in the path of said tail-piece preventing the knuckle from swinging on the pivot pin 13. The tail-piece lat is provided with a bevel l t which cooperates with a corresponding bevel 15 on the forward end of the locking pin whereby the knuckle will automatically lift the pin-during the locking operation. The pin 15 is carried in a cavity in the draw bar 10 and is provided at its rear end with a hook 15 which extends over a pin 16 and under another pin 17 By this construction the locking pin may be readily introduced or withdrawn from the drawbar through the cavity in the draw head whenever desired, after removing the knuckle.

ln appliances of this character it is necessary that the coupling and uncoupling may be accomplished without necessitating the operator from entering between the cars or taking hold otthe coupler proper at any time with his hands. In the present instance a rock shaft 18 extends horizontally outward to the side or corner of the car, the same being suitably journaled for partial rotation by any convenient means (not shown). i-itthe inner end said her 18 extends into the cavity in the drawhead and has connected thereto a crank 19, as loymeans of a squared portion, and the crank extends from the shaft downwardly and rearwardly and thence laterally in a direction parallel to the axis of the shat-hi8 and co'c'perates withthe pin 15 tor the purpose oi elevating the latter upon rotation of the shaft. The outer end 19 of the crank has a loose connection with the pin 15 as by to release the knuckle. This, however, is

not sufficient for the practical demands of railway authorities for it is essential that the pin not only be lifted to unlock the knuckle but some means be provided for positively swinging the knuckle open. To this end I provide a means operable by the same mechanism as used for unlocking; the knuckle, and it will be operable either simultaneously or during the said operation.

A. dog 20, indicated in detail in 3, is pivoted in the draw head on a stationary bolt 21, said bolt being disposed in a hori' zontal plane and in a line forn'ling an acute angle with the axis or" the drawbar as indicated in Fig. l. The dog 20 is provided at its lower end with a curved extension or foot piece 20* which extends normally downward into a recess in. the bottom of the draw head and at its upper end it is provided with a finger 20 which projects over the crank 19, the said crank being disposed between the extension 20 and finger 20 but noflnally spaced from the said finger as shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed therefore that by virtue of said space between the crank and the finger 20* the first effect of the swinging of the crank will be to lift the locking pin 1.) out of the path of the tail-piece M and subsequently the crank on continued movement will bear against the lower surface of the finger 26* thereby causing the dog to swing on its pivot and causing the extension 20 to swing outward against the tail-plece and swinging the knuckle outward as indicated .111 dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The parts 15, 19, and 20 maythcreafter resume their normal downward position, While the knuckle Will remain open until struck by a corresponding knuckle for coupling.

Having thus'described the invention but without desiring to be limited to the precise details illustrated except as inaybe necessitated. by the state of the art, What I claim as new and desire to protect by L tters Patent of the United States is: L. The hereindescribed ca'r coupler, comprising a draw-bar, a draW.-head,'a knuckle pivoted in the draw-head and having a tailpiece extending thereinto, a movable pin cooperating with said tail-piece to lock the knuckle, a dog pivoted in the draw-head on a stationary bolt and having a finger and a foot-piece, a rock shaft journaled in the draw-head, a crank connected to the rock shaft for moving the pin and normally spaced from said dog, but adapted to engage the finger of the dog after movement 01 the pin whereby the foot-piece of the dog will swing the knuckle open.

' 2. In a car coupler, the combination of a draw-bar, a draw-head carried thereby, a

knuckle pivoted'in the draw-head and having a tail-piece extending into thedrawhead, a pin extending from the interior of the draw-bar into the path of said'tail-piece, a rock" shaft journaled in the draw-head, a

crank connected tothe rock shaft within the draw-head and having looseconnection with the pin to lift the same, a dog pivoted in the draW-heald on an axis inclined to the .axi'sof the draWj-bar and spaced normally from said crank, said dog being operable by the crank during ,the latter part of its movement. for

the purpose of swinging. the knuckle-open after being unlocked. v.

3. In a car coupler, the combination of a draw-bar having a pair of transverse pins, a draw-head carried by the draW-baLa knuckle pivoted in the draw-head and-having a tail-piece extending thereinto, a pin movable into and out of the path of said tail-piece, said pin having a rearward-1y extending hook" extending over one of said pins, and under the other and also having a notch, a rock shaft, a crank operable by said rock shaft and having an end loosely cooperating with the pin through saidnotch, and means oper-' able from the said crank forsvvingingthe knuckle open after being unlocked.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

WILLIAM L. WRIGHT.

Witnesses T. A. FOWLER, W. E. MESSICK. 

